


even if it isn't

by sunshinias



Category: ATEEZ (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Non-Famous, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Fluff, M/M, Soulmate-Identifying Marks, non-traditional soulmate au, the barest minimum of plot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-01
Updated: 2020-03-01
Packaged: 2021-02-27 22:01:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,271
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22882969
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sunshinias/pseuds/sunshinias
Summary: They all have their opinions to impress on Wooyoung when they realize.“You’re too optimistic,” they offer him like Wooyoung is desperate for advice. “You’re just setting yourself up to get your heart broken.”But if loving San makes him too optimistic, then Wooyoung is content to be the most stupidly optimistic person in the world.
Relationships: Choi San/Jung Wooyoung
Comments: 3
Kudos: 97





	even if it isn't

Wooyoung gets the tattoo the day after he turns nineteen. It's small and simplistic, the design unobtrusive in contrast to the very visible location it’s going on his wrist. The tattoo artist had tried to suggest he put it somewhere more easily coverable, but Wooyoung is not one to hide things.

“Because I wear my heart on my sleeve, y’know?” Wooyoung tells Yeosang later when he’s showing it off over lunch. “Both figuratively and literally now.”

Yeosang raises an eyebrow at him. “That’s an umbrella.”

“Yeah, but. Half of my heart is dedicated to loving San, so it’s basically the same thing, isn’t it?”

“You _sap.”_ Yeosang pretends to be disgusted.

And why deny it? “If you had someone like San, you'd be a sap too. He's just too perfect not to love.” 

* * *

San protests when Wooyoung tells him he's getting it.

He goes through several reasons at first, from "It wasn't even a cute drawing!" - said with mortification - to "But won't it hurt?" - said with genuine concern - until he finally acquiesces the real reason.

"Are you sure?" he asks, those beautiful brown eyes of his wide and worried. "Don't you think you'll regret it?"

"Not at all," Wooyoung says. "I've never been more sure of anything."

If San still isn't convinced - and he probably isn't - it doesn't matter. The hug San gives Wooyoung is so tight that he can almost feel the love oozing out of him and soaking San from head to toe.

* * *

It hurts.

It's tiny, barely worthy of any pain as far as tattoos go, but Wooyoung cries the entire time.

The tattoo artist is raising her eyebrows, like she thinks Wooyoung is being a big baby, but she's too professional to comment on it.

"It's not that it hurts," Wooyoung bawls, even though it is and it does. "It's just really meaningful to me."

"Alright," the tattoo artist says, clearly not convinced.

"Because my name is Wooyoung, and his is San, so together we're Woosan. It's really the perfect symbol for us."

"Ah..." The tattoo artist is silent for a moment, and when she speaks again, she looks a bit sad. "You seem very sweet. I hope things work out for you. Good luck."

"Thank you," Wooyoung says, as firmly as he can given that he's still crying from the pain. "But I won't need it."

* * *

Wooyoung shows San the tattoo and - despite his earlier protests that the doodle wasn't cute enough for a tattoo - he adores it even more than he does Wooyoung. (At least that's what he says. The way he'd kissed Wooyoung so sweetly afterward makes his statement dubious.)

San can't stop caressing the skin that surrounds the tattoo, and - later, when the skin has finished healing and it's okay to touch it - he presses kisses to it, and down Wooyoung's arm, and then on each knuckle.

"I can't believe you got this for me," he says, voice still in awe each time. "No - I can believe it, because of course you would. It's just... for me?"

"I love you," Wooyoung says, like the decision was the easiest thing in the world for him - and it was. "I'll always love you. This tattoo - it's a symbol of my promise of forever."

San doesn't cry, not quite, but he does hug Wooyoung tightly, silent for a long time, and then whisper into his ear, "I'll love you forever too. I promise."

* * *

San tells him he doesn't want a tattoo, and that's fine. He seems so ashamed admitting it, fiddling with the sleeves of his sweater and wearing them out, barely able to look Wooyoung in the eyes.

"It's not that I think this won't last," he says, almost too fast to understand, voice high-pitched, and Wooyoung hates just how many strangers’ voices he hears in those words. "I just don't like the idea of putting ink into my skin."

Wooyoung kisses him, because it’s easier to act than to put into words just how deep his trust and affection runs. First he kisses San's lips - insistent but unhurried - and then he dots San's nose, San’s cheeks, San’s forehead with kisses. San's ears are bright pink by the time he pulls away.

"I know you love me," Wooyoung says. "I've never doubted it."

San mutters something about overkill, but for the rest of the night, there’s barely a moment that he isn’t smiling.

Wooyoung counts that as a win.

* * *

It’s 6:21 a.m. when Wooyoung finally finds the necklace.

San had come in at around 2:30, rubbing his eyes and pouting at Wooyoung. “Come to _bed,”_ he’d whined. “I miss you.”

Wooyoung had waved his sleepy partner off and sent him back to bed, promising to join him as soon as he finished. He feels a little guilty, four hours later, when he still hasn’t gone to San, but the triumph at his find overweighs the guilt.

It’s made by an independent artist, and the artist doesn't do deliveries, which means Wooyoung will have to drive three hours to go pick it up, but that's fine. It’s all worth it for San.

* * *

The necklace is simple - just a clean silver outline of an umbrella, but not _quite_ symmetrical in that endearing hand-drawn style that Wooyoung likes so much.

“It’s perfect,” Wooyoung breathes, almost tearing up right then and there. (Okay, maybe he does actually shed some tears. But that’s a secret best kept between him and the jeweler.)

The jeweler laughs at him, but seems pleased. “That’s probably the happiest reaction I’ve ever had a customer have over such a basic design.”

Wooyoung shrugs, trying to squash an embarrassed smile. “It has a very special meaning for me.”

The jeweler catches sight of the tattoo on his wrist and makes the connection easily. “For your soulmate?”

“Nah,” Wooyoung says. “I’m the one that chose him.”

* * *

San cries when he sees it.

“I’m never ever taking this off,” he says. He holds it almost reverently, like he’s afraid it will break. “It’s so perfect.”

Wooyoung allows himself some pride, at that. “I know it is. That’s why I picked it.”

San’s teasing shove of exasperation (“I’m trying to be sappy and all you can think of is yourself!”) turns into play-wrestling on the kitchen floor - they manage to knock over the broom, a chair, and a cheap plastic flower vase that is on the floor for who knows what reason - and then they chase each other around the house until they’re breathless and clutching their sides.

They end up staying up all night watching nature documentaries in between kisses, and then Wooyoung spends the dawn hours slowly taking San apart and then putting him back together with just a little more of Wooyoung’s love tucked into his heart.

* * *

"Wooyoung-ah?" San's voice is drowsy.

They're laying on the bed, lazy in the warmth of a Sunday morning, Wooyoung's arm flung hap-hazardly across San's chest while he scrolls through his phone.

"Yes, love?"

The pet name brings a soft smile to San's face.

"I'm glad we're not soulmates."

"Yeah?" Wooyoung roots around for San's hand, searching blindly for a moment until he finds it and takes it in his.

"It wouldn't feel as special to have someone like you if it was fate." San picks up the necklace - which is, as always, resting against his chest - and rolls it through his fingers, caressing the pendant.

There are a million words Wooyoung could use to fill the space between them, but he opts for the simplest answer. That’s all they need to understand each other.

“I’m glad too.” He squeezes San’s hand. “I love you, my umbrella.”

**Author's Note:**

> [twt](https://twitter.com/sunshinias) | [cc](https://curiouscat.me/sunshinias)


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